Chapter 27: Problems for Snake Man

"So did you have a nice time yesterday?" Gabrielle asked Hermione as they waited for Draco in the heads common room.

"Yeah, the party was great. I haven't had such a good time on my birthday in years." She told her with a smile. "How was your night?"

"Good, I saw the kiss between you and that Snake guy. You seemed to enjoy being wrapped up in him. So tell me who this mystery man is?" She asked with a grin.

"You're not going to believe me," Hermione told her with a small grin. "I figured out who Snake really was about 3 hours into the party."

"Are you happy or disappointed?" Gabrielle asked her curiously. They had talked of her mysterious Snake man who she had met at the club.

"Happily disappointed," Hermione told her with a laugh. "I'm happy because of whom he is but I'm disappointed that the mystery is over. Plus Harry and Ron will think I'm crazy if I'm not disappointed."

"Tell me," Gabrielle whined.

"Snake is Severus," Hermione told her and the younger girl gasped in shock. "He was under a glamour charm to watch over us at the club."

"But you kissed him!" Gabrielle told her with wide eyes. "I mean I know you've kissed him from a dare but this is because you wanted to…"

"I'm not really bothered by it," Hermione told her. "I won't be kissing him anymore since he's our professor, but he is a good kisser."

"So you enjoyed kissing Snape and would kiss him again if he wasn't your teacher?" Gabrielle asked her trying to figure her out.

"I don't know!" Hermione said with a groan. "I was really attracted to Snake and felt so comfortable in his arms and kissing him felt perfect, but now I know that it was Severus that was holding me like that and I'm confused." Hermione wasn't sure she could really explain it any better.

"So you found a guy that made you want to kiss him and hold him and you like that feeling but now you think its wrong since its Severus?" Gabrielle asked realizing her friend was still trying to work it out as well.

"Sort of," Hermione told her. "It would be like finding out the guy you've had a crush on turns out to be your best friend in disguise. You'd be happy because you know that the attraction is more than just physical but you'd wonder why you never felt that way for the friend before."

"So you're wondering why you never wanted to snog Snape but you still want to snog Snake even though they are the same person?" Gabrielle asked her with a smile.

"Ugh!" Hermione yelled tossing a couch pillow across the room. "I refuse think of Severus like that! He is my friend, research partner and professor, there is no way I am going to complicate this unlikely relationship any more by lusting after him!"

"What does he have to say about it?" Gabrielle asked her.

"I don't know we haven't talked since last night. He ran out of the room like I lit him on fire when I kissed him in thanks for my present." She told her with a shrug. "Knowing him he will just ignore the whole thing and pretend that he was never even at the party last night."

Draco had been leaning in the doorway to his room listening to the whole conversation in amusement. "You do seem to know him well," he told the girls joining the conversation. "Now what I want to know is if you still enjoyed kissing him after you knew who he was."

"I was excited about my present and just kissed him without thinking. I bet he left so that he wouldn't have to tell me that it was inappropriate and that I was just a silly little girl that he could never be interested in." Hermione told him with a shrug.

Draco and Gabrielle exchanged glances, "So you are interested in him as more than friends or research partners then."

"It makes no difference if I am or not as I am not going to do anything about it. I'm his student for goodness sake, he could be fired! Besides, like I told everyone before, I am not looking for any sort of relationship this year. No boyfriends or other complications, I need to concentrate on my research and nothing else." Hermione told them. "Now can we drop the subject and get to breakfast please!"

"Did you have a fun time last night?" Remus asked Severus as he sat down between the wolf and the headmaster.

"It was amusing while it lasted," Severus told him trying to ignore the twinkling old man next to him.

"Hermione seemed very happy to see Snake. Tell me, did you enjoy her kisses or is that another indulgence you don't allow yourself?" Remus asked him knowing the headmaster heard every word.

"She didn't know who she was kissing," Severus told him and tried to eat his breakfast without staring at the spot she was sitting at the Gryffindor table. "Minerva will have my hide if you keep this up."

"That is a very pretty necklace that she is wearing today," Albus told him with a chuckle. "Her favorite flower if I'm not mistaken and she seems to like it very much. It looks too expensive to have come from one of her friends; I wonder which young man gave it to her."

"Yes, she does seem to be fingering it lovingly." Remus commented. "It must have been her favorite gift. Hey Charlie did Hermione say who she got that lovely necklace from?" Remus tried not to laugh at the two glares he received from both Severus and Charlie.

"She told me it was from her partner," Charlie said turning his glare on Severus. "Seems like an awfully romantic and expensive gift just for a research partner." Severus returned the glare to the Weasley man.

"I'm sure romance had nothing to do with the gift." He growled out knowing the entire staff was going to know about his gift to the head girl by the end of the day.

"I think it was a very appropriate gift," Albus said earning looks from the other 3 men. "I'm sure she likes it for its practicality and if it wasn't pretty then it wouldn't be something she would want to wear all the time. I think she and this Snake fellow have much in common and I am happy she seems to have found such a great friend, maybe even more than that."

"How can you be okay with this Albus?" Charlie asked him with wide eyes. "What about the age difference or proper student/teacher relations!"

"Yes and I'm sure I haven't seen you kiss her either," Severus said with a smirk. "I would say that would be the pot calling the kettle black." Remus and Albus laughed.

"Our dear Miss Granger is a very special young lady and I'm sure she would never overstep the bounds of proper decorum. I'm sure her having a date or a few chaste kisses with a professor wouldn't hurt anything. Although I'm sure the Slytherin boys will all be disappointed." Albus told them with a chuckle.

Tonks walked by Draco after hearing the men's conversation at breakfast and relayed the conversation to him with a wink. She knew he was trying to hook Hermione up with a Slytherin and found it amusing that Albus thought the relationship was a good idea. Draco waited until breakfast was almost over and then stood up on his chair. "Attention," he called and most of the hall turned to look his way. "As most of you know it was our lovely head girl's birthday yesterday and for her birthday she had a special friend attend her party. Those of you who were there will remember seeing her dancing with a tall dark stranger." He paused to wink at Hermione who looked scared at what he was going to say especially since he had overheard her conversation this morning.

"This man goes by the name Snake and I'm very proud to say is 100 Slytherin!" There were a few cheers from the Slytherins at that. "Last year I promised to hook our dear Hermione up with the most intelligent Slytherin I could find and I have determined that Snake fits the description much better than any of the other men she dated over the summer." He said this looking at Charlie Weasley with a smirk. Hermione had her head in her hands by this point wanting to kill Draco. "So make sure you all ask our beautiful head girl about her new love interest!" He then grinned over at Hermione again and sat back down as the students went back to their breakfasts.

"I am so going to kill him," both Ron and Charlie said to their respective tables.

"Relax Ronald," Ginny told her brother. "I can't have both my siblings attacking Draco. Charlie looks ready to strangle him!"

"I knew I should have put up a silencing spell when I was talking to Gabrielle this morning!" Hermione moaned. "He is never going to let me live this down!"

"What's the big deal Hermione?" Ron asked and then looking between his best friends and his sister he realized he was out of the loop on some important fact. "Who is this guy Snake anyway? I know you fancy that git but we barely know him! You'd be much better off with Charlie."

"I'm not interested in Charlie in that way. He's a great guy and will make some girl very happy, but he's not for me. As much as I hate to say this, Snake has a much better chance of being the right guy for me than your brother. We have the same interests and I do find him attractive even if most women don't." Hermione said watching for a reaction from Harry and Ginny.

Harry just shivered, the thought of Hermione and Snape together creeped him out. "I know he's your friend and that you know him better than anyone, but are you sure you want a relationship with him?" He asked her seriously. He would stand by her no matter what, but he never imagined it would mean her dating the dungeon bat!

"No, I'm not sure at all and I don't plan on finding out either," Hermione told him with a smile. "I am not getting in any kind of relationship until after I graduate so even if he is somehow Mr. Right he'll just have to wait."

Harry and Ginny grinned and relaxed. "Good because that might have made things weird between you two," Ginny told her and they all headed off to class.

"Albus who is this Snake fellow you are all talking about?" Minerva asked him after Draco sat back down. "Charlie looks like he wants to hurt him, Remus is amused and Severus looked shocked."

"I think Hermione is exactly what Snake needs," Albus told them all. "Although I have a feeling that their relationship will stay as strictly friendship for now. Hermione is a smart young lady and will not let any of us tell her what to do. She'll proceed as she sees fit, with or without our or her friends' support of the relationship."

"Why are you all acting like this is some earth shattering idea of her liking this Snake person?" Minerva asked, "She's a beautiful young woman and has many boys and young men throwing themselves at her. We shouldn't be surprised that she has taken an interest in one of them."

"You say that now," Charlie grumbled. "I may have a vested interest in her but I can't image her ever being happy with him." He told them and left the hall.

"I concur," Severus told them. "He could never make her happy. Everything he touches turns to ash. She's much better off without him in her life." He stood to leave when both Remus and Albus grabbed his arms.

"You're wrong there my boy. We all see how wonderful you two are together. I don't know what there may be between you in the future but don't push her away. She is a remarkable young woman, don't stop what you have now just because there is something more developing." Albus told him. "Talk with her, work it out." Severus just nodded and stalked out of the hall students quickly moving out of his way sensing his dark mood.

"Snake is Severus," Remus said in response to Minerva's questioning gaze. "He called himself Snake when he was undercover at the club watching the kids."

"Ah, and our dear Hermione fell for him and now knows who he is. I see how things have been complicated. They really are perfect for each other," She said with a fond smile at her favorite student. "He is so protective of her and has let her in farther than anyone else. I thought he was falling for her and would end up getting hurt when she didn't return the feelings, but now perhaps they do have a future as more than just research partners."

Hermione paced the lab that afternoon waiting for Severus so they could talk about all the crazy things that were going on. She almost wished she had never asked for him to come to her party. Everything was messed up now and she wanted to iron it out so she could get back to her research! "Hermione," he said by way of greeting as he entered the lab. He noticed her agitated state and knew they were going to have to discuss all the new complications. "Come on, let's go have tea and talk in front of the fire. You look like you could use a calming potion as well," he told her and motioned for her to follow him into his personal quarters beyond the lab.

His rooms were dark wood paneled walls and furniture with green and silver décor. "Very Slytherin," she commented with a smirk and sat in one of the green leather wing back chairs in front of the fire. "I am sorry for what Draco said this morning, he and the rest of my friends are blowing everything out of proportion."

"As well as any of the staff who knows what is going on," he informed her and she groaned and hung her head.

"Why can't they just stay out of it?" She asked. "I mean things aren't really all that complicated are they?" She looked at him hoping he would give her some indication of what he was feeling.

"No, we are just as we were before the party." He told her with a small smile. "They do not understand."

"They think that just because of two small kissed suddenly we are going to change the nature of our friendship. It's ridiculous! We have work to do and cannot be distracted by some fledgling relationship that will only result in us arguing and not getting any research done." She told him.

"Exactly," Severus said with a smirk at how much alike they thought. "Relationships take work and even if we were interested in having one, which I'm not sure we even would be, we don't have the time."

"Why can't they just be content to let us stay as friends?" She asked him.

"I am not sure, but Charlie is not happy with the situation at all." He told her.

She rolled her eyes at that, "He'll never be happy because he and I will never be together. Hell, he's not even that great of a friend since he just follows me around like a puppy dog. Severus thank you for being such a great friend, I know it's odd to think of your professor as one of your best friends."

"Come dear girl, let's get back to work and put this mess behind us," he said helping her up out of the chair. "But I warn you now, I can't be held responsible for what I do to annoy the Weasley boys!" They laughed and went back to the lab to research.

Albus announced the upcoming Halloween dance the previous night at dinner and the students were still wild with excitement. They were very much enjoying the unity of the 4 houses if they could keep having fun things like they were. They were sitting in a staff meeting when Albus broached the subject again. "Now the Halloween dance will be a costume party as you all know. We will be having a costume contest for each year as well as for the teachers. Each of you will be required to dress in costume."

"Absolutely not!" Severus said while glaring at his boss. "I will not be subjected to having to wear some frilly, colored monstrosity!" The staff all laughed as Hermione grinned at him.

"Oh Severus there are plenty of costumes that have no frills or colors other than black. Perhaps you can come as the grim reaper or even a dementor." She told him with a smirk and the other teachers were amused as well.

"Or maybe you could just wear a glamour charm and come as Hermione's boyfriend," Charlie said bitterly. "Oh wait, you've already been there done that."

"Charlie will you please drop it," Hermione told him. "I do not have a boyfriend, I do not want a boyfriend and even if I did it wouldn't be you after how you've been acting. If you don't grow up I'm going to write to your mother and I don't think you'll enjoy listening to a howler chastising you about stalking a student!"

The other professors were wide eyed watching the scene. They each new how Charlie and Hermione had gone out on a few dates over the summer and had all heard about the man she invited to her party, they just were not sure where Snape fit in. Minerva, Tonks and Remus were trying to hold in there laughter at the telling off she was giving Charlie. Ever since her party he had been moping and trying to let the other teachers know who Snake really was. They were all getting tired of him and were enjoying watching Hermione tell him off.

"I think that should be 10 points from Gryffindor for disrespect to a teacher," Charlie said as his ears turned red with embarrassment. Minerva was fuming and looking to Albus to have him counter that comment. Albus was watching the scene with sparkling eyes.

"15 points to Gryffindor for having to put up with a second lovesick Weasley stalking you," Severus told Hermione watching Charlie's face turn redder.

"20 points from Gryffindor for kissing a professor the night of your birthday," Charlie said now in a fit and not thinking through his actions.

"If that's 10 points per kiss then you need to make it 30 points since I kissed you as well." Hermione told him with a glare. The other teachers were really starting to enjoy the show now but they were confused as to who the other teacher she kissed was. "Or maybe make it an even fifty since I actually enjoyed the first two kisses. Maybe I should get some points for kissing you since you seemed to enjoy it even if it was just a peck as a thank you for the gift."

"I saw you in his arms that night pressed up against him, how you can stand to kiss him Hermione I just don't understand. Every student in this school thinks he's a greasy git so how come you kissed him?" He asked now desperate for the answer to the question that had been plaguing him since the incident.

"Because I wanted to," Hermione told him. "It was just a little kiss Charlie, not some sort of declaration of love, why has everyone made such a big deal out of it?"

"Because it's Snape!" Charlie yelled frustrated making the rest of the teachers gasp. "It's a big deal because it's bloody Snape and no one in their right mind would kiss him!"

Hermione was livid that he was insulting her friend and her intelligence in the same sentence. "Now listen here Charlie Weasley," she said in a low and dangerous voice. "Who I choose to kiss is my business and my business alone I can kiss every damn male in this castle if I wanted to, do you understand me. Furthermore, Severus Snape is an honorable man and my friend and I will not allow you to speak about him like that. He did not ask me to kiss him; he never made any advances towards me and hell I didn't even know it was him the first two times I kissed him! I am sick and tired of everyone treating him like he is some lesser being just because he isn't always sunshine and daisies. Get over yourself Charlie, Severus is a better man than you ever will be and you owe him an apology."

Albus twinkled as he watched Snape stare at Hermione defend him. He hadn't had anyone stick up for him like that since Lily Evans over 20 years ago and that was what caused him to fall for her in the first place. She looked gorgeous as she screamed at him and he couldn't help but feel proud to call her his friend. "Shh, Hermione it's alright. I don't care what his opinion of me is," he told her pulling her back into her seat before turning on Charlie. "Now listen here Weasley. I don't want to hear you say one more thing about this to her. It's pathetic how you are trying to degrade her. You are supposed to be her friend but you're not acting like it. Now grow up and maybe you'll be lucky enough and she'll forgive you." Snape said it all in a calm voice but the rest of the staff knew he was only seconds away from hexing him. "If I find out you're harassing her again you'll end up on the wrong side of my wand, and that's a promise."

Minerva looked from Tonks to Remus who where sitting back enjoying the show. Hermione and Severus had the same furious look on their faces; it was so easy to see why they got along so well. "Now that we have that settled I award 20 points to Gryffindor to counteract Professor Weasley's points taken. I also suspect many of you have questions as to what that little dispute was over. Tonks if you could explain it?" Albus asked her.

"Over the summer the kids went to a club in London for fun and one of us adults would follow them using a glamour charm. Hermione saw Severus under the charm and asked him to dance. He introduced himself as Snake, an old nickname of his, and the whole thing spun out of control from there. She kissed him before she left that night and since then has been having dreams of him. She asked Harry to find him and invite him to her birthday party so she could find out more about him and try and stop the dreams. Severus had me put the glamour back on him and he attended the party where Hermione, as smart as she is, figured out who he really was but not before she kissed him once again. Severus presented her with a birthday present and she kissed him again in thanks for the gift before he left the party. I think it should also be mentioned that she kissed Charlie in thanks for his gift and kissed each of her other male friends on the cheek in thanks as well as hugged them, including Remus. I think that about covers it." Tonks finished the recap for the teachers who looked amused and much less confused.

"So tell us Hermione, is our dear Severus a good kisser? And who is better he or Charlie?" Poppy asked with a grin and the other women laughed as Charlie glared and Severus smirked and nodded his consent that she could answer the question.

"Oh, Severus is a wonderful kisser. I think that makes about 4 times I've kissed him so far and ever one has been magnificent. He has never kissed me though, where Charlie has. And Charlie already knows that I think Severus is a better kisser thanks to the truth or dare game we played over the summer." Hermione said with a smirk and the teachers laughed.

"Why are you all taking this so well?" Charlie asked them in shock. "You should all be shocked and disgusted at the thought of a relationship between a teacher and a student!"

"Perhaps if there really was a relationship beyond friendship between the two we would be," Minerva told him rolling her eyes at how jealous Weasley men were. "Hermione and Severus are friends and research partners. That is the extent of their relationship and will remain that way at least until she is graduated. You don't know either of them very well if you think they would violate any school policy for fraternization between student and professor. As Hermione herself told you, he has never kissed her, so there is nothing to be disgusted or shocked about. You are the only one blowing this out of proportion Mr. Weasley."

"But we are still going to run off together after graduation and make lots of babies aren't we Sevy darling?" Hermione joked with a fake girly voice while batting her eyelashes and leaning her head on his shoulder. This earned a bark of laughter from Snape and the rest of the professors.

"No my love, I will chain you up in my dungeon and never let you leave," He said and they all laughed some more.

"But schnookums the humidity is murder on my hair," she said with an exaggerated pout. Charlie just glared and walked out of the room to the laughter of the rest of the staff.

Severus leaned closer to Hermione, "If you ever call me schnookums or Sevy again I may have to hurt you."

She laughed, "But honeycake I thought you loved me!" They spent the rest of the staff meeting making up even more horrendous nicknames for each other to the amusement of the staff.